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Partridge adds to Rodeo Museum

The Rodeo Museum in Berwyn, which is set for a grand opening sometime this fall, has added a few more pieces to its vast collection of rodeo history and memrobilia. In September of 2012, Blaine Partridge, the owner of the museum, recieved a saddle from Paul Tierney, one of Broken Bow’s National Finals Rodeo contestants since its inception in 1959. The museum will now also feature a hat from Lin Hilton, who was the NFR announcer in 1972 and served as the county extension agent in Burwell in the 1960s, where he also announced at junior rodeos across the state. The NFR made its debut in 1959 and since that year, Nebraska has sent a number of athletes in multiple events Below is a complete list of Nebraska contestants since 1959:Bareback RidingSteven Dent- MullenJim Houston- OmahaSam Perkins- ChadronCalf RopersTroy Pruitt-MinitareJohn Rothwell-HyannisPaul Tierney- Broken BowSaddle BroncTodd Hipsag-LincolnCort Scheer- ElsmereSkeeter Thurston- HyannisSteer WrestlersBerry Ote- GordonLinn Churchill-ValentineBrian Fulton- ValentineDon Feddersen- SidneyDean Gorsuch- GeringHarrison Halligan- N. PlatteDoug McMillen- SidneyDru Melvin- ArthurSean Mulligan- ValentineGarrett Nokes- McCookRandy Suhn- North PlatteTodd Suhn- North PlattePaul Tierney- Broken BowTony Wiese- ThedfordSteer RopersEddie Becker- AshbyHoward Haythorn- ArthurWaldo Haythorn- ArthurTerry McGinley- KeystoneGlen Nutter- ThedfordBull RidersChad Brennan-EllsworthBob Chartier- BenklemenDallas Chartier- BenklemenDustin Elliot- North PlatteJerome Robinson- BrandonLonnie Wyatt- KimbleAll AroundPaul Tierney- Broken Bow Gene Kramer of Sutherland (bareback) and Dave Campbell of Bartlett (steer wrestling) would have also qualified for the NFR had its inception been prior to 1959. Partridge would also like to thank all the notables working on additions to this museum. Among them Chris Bernt is constructing a front gate that will eventually look like a shoot gate to the entrance of the museum. Marleen McGahee of Broken Bow will be completing the entire ladies section of the museum, which includes queens and barrel racers. Eugene Smith of Kearney donated his entire collections of Western Horseman magazine as well as a saddle. The plan is to include memrobilia for all the NFR qualifiers as well as the amateur rodeos.